It is known to use wearable or user-supported computers that can be operated in a hands-free manner; an example is the MOBILE ASSISTANT by Xybernaut Corporation. An important feature of these computers is that they permit the user to have freedom to use his or her hands for repairing or other manual functions while still able to use a fully functional computer. As above noted, one of the most well known of these user supported computers is the MOBILE ASSISTANT, computer line available from Xybernaut Corporation of Fairfax, Va. MOBILE ASSISTANT is a registered trademark of Xybernaut Corporation.
Xybernaut-owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,305,244 (Newman I) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,844,824 (Newman II) describe the details and components used in said user-supported computers. U.S. Pat. No. 5,844,824 (Newman II) describes and claims several hands-free activation means and other significant improvements or modifications in user supported computers. Both U.S. Newman I and Newman II are owned by the assignee of the present application and both describe in one embodiment where a rigid computer that has all components in a single housing. The disclosure of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,305,244 and 5,844,824 are incorporated by reference in the present disclosure.
Other patents describing wearable computers are U.S. Pat. No. 5,285,398 (Janik I) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,651 (Janik II). Both of these patents disclose a non-rigid or a belt worn computer containing the elements or components of a computer in several different housings or pockets. In Janik I, the plurality of computing elements are located in separate pockets on the belt and a flexible signal relaying means connects all of the elements for computing. A protective covering is used for enclosing said computer elements. In Janik II, a similar belt computer is described and claimed in which the signal relaying means, the length of which between any two computing elements, is greater than the length of the wearable member between any two computing elements. In both Janik I and Janik II, the flexible wearable computer is in the form of a belt comprising around its periphery sequentially positioned computer elements.
In desktop and in many mobile computers, including laptops, the computer housings become extremely hot due to the heat generated by the CPU and other internal computer components. Of course, fans are used in larger computers but space precludes their use in wearables. Various means such as heat sinks and heat-insulating housings have been considered in wearables to minimize this heat problem but still potential problems exist.
Moreover, conventional computers, such as desktop or laptop computers, have not typically suffered from the problem of finding a reliable supply of power as do wearable computer. Conventional computers need only be plugged into an AC power outlet to provide a reliable supply of power since these computers rarely leave an office environment. Alternatively, they enter a suspension state when their batteries reach a predetermined voltage level as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,710,931. A reliable power supply for a wearable computer has been difficult to maintain since these types of computers are supported on the user's body and are often used away from an AC power source and are limited by the lifetime of a charged battery. However, body-worn computers are often times being used away from the office were a convenient AC power supply is not available. For example, a worker out in the field such as up a telephone pole does not have the ability to supplement the power to his computer with AC power. Conventionally, a wearable computer (wearable(s)) user must carry additional batteries in the event the computer is needed longer than a typical battery lasts. Additionally, a user would have to power down his computer if he wished to replace the dead battery creating additional burden on the user.
Also in some wearables, a battery is worn apart from the computer housing. This requires connecting cables to electrically connect the housing to the battery. In wearables, cables are one of the most objectionable aspects since they sometimes get in the way of the user.